The 2016 Errandonnee has come to an end, the twelve days flew right by! Thanks so much to Mary at Chasing Mailboxes for such a fun and friendly competition.
I had a great ride this morning. It began with fighting a strong headwind for 18 miles. Normally I find riding into a stiff wind very demoralizing because it feels like climbing a hill except that the hill is invisible and never ending, but this morning was different. My mind was in the right place (for once) and I didn’t let that wind best me. I knew that the harder the wind blew the more benefits I would reap when I turned around at the halfway point.
Once I hit 18 miles, I made sure the road was empty before making a U-turn. Now it was time to fly.
Wind at my back, exhilaration in my heart I let the bike go at full throttle. My bike and I had been waiting for this, a strong tailwind to transform us into epic heroes. Every time I sprint down a road with the power of a strong wind behind me, it makes me burn with the desire to become a faster, better cyclist. To be able to ride like the wind…but without the wind. I want to be able to tear up the road like this under my own power.
When I came back into town I went to a friend’s house to do a few hours of babysitting. The two kids were filled with boxed up energy so I took them outside and they started riding their bikes around the yard. The tires of these little bikes were quite flat so I took out my mini pump and showed them how to pump up their own tires. The kids were fascinated and ended up pumping up the tires of all of the bikes they could find.
After their mom came home, I was able to get my mini pump back with some gentle coaxing and I went to donate blood. It felt good to donate again and the process went smoothly. (Although I did almost fall asleep at one point. They had me lay down on a cot and since they were busy, no one actually took my blood for 5-10 minutes and I got rather drowsy while staring at the ceiling.)
Then I ran a few errands before eating supper and going to a meeting at church. It was a busy day. And a very good one.
My last three errands were all pretty much in the same place, so I am splitting the distance equally between them to keep them all happy.
Errand 10
Blood Donation
Category: Wild Card
Distance: 0.25 Miles
After biking and babysitting, giving blood makes me feel like taking a nap.

If you want to be mean, you can just wait until tomorrow because I am not donating blood then.
Errand 11
Library
Category: Art and Entertainment
Distance: 0.25 Miles
The best way to pick out book sat a Library is to browse around until you find some that jump out at you.

And one of these books jumped out at me so I took it home.
Errand 12
Dollar Store
Category: Store
Distance: 0.25 Miles
People stared when I clomped around in the store like a horse, but I have learned to simply smile back, after all bike shoes honestly do sound funny.

My Trek doesn’t mind being a workhorse as long as it gets to go fast at least occasionally.